Good Turn for America Award

Notes:

This program was implemented in 2004 and ended in 2010.

Good Turn for America is a collaboration between the Boy Scouts of America and the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, and thousands of other community organizations that focuses the power of volunteerism on important community issues. The three main issues addressed are: hunger, lack of adequate shelter, and poor health.

Good Turn for America goals include the following:

Inspire youth and adult leaders in and out of Scouting to higher levels of service and volunteerism.

Provide additional program experiences to help youth members learn qualities of good citizenship and gain a sense of belonging to and being needed in their communities.

Build service collaborations with community organizations across every community in the country.

Affirm the BSA as the nation's leading collaborating organization in community service.

Heighten our nation's awareness of BSA's service commitment to all communities and citizens.

There are three major program areas.

Scouting for Food Activities in Collaboration With The Salvation Army or Other Local Organizations. As unbelievable as it may seem, hunger remains a significant problem in the United States. In fact, one in five children in this country faces hunger. Hungry children, even those who experience only mild malnutrition during the critical stages of their development, may suffer irreparable harm. The BSA is concerned about hunger and helping community agencies provide food for the needy.

Scouting for Shelter Activities in Collaboration With Habitat for Humanity or Other Local Organizations. The Urban Institute estimates that 3.5 million people in the United States, 1.35 million of them children, will experience homelessness during the course of a year. The need for simple, decent housing continues to grow in American communities. The BSA is concerned about shelter to the needy and improving the quality of life of those who must live in group homes or shelters.

Scouting for Healthy Living Activities in Collaboration With the American Red Cross or Other Local Organizations. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It is a major risk factor for the number one cause of death: heart disease. Heart disease can be reduced by proper exercise and diet. Our children are being raised in an increasingly sedentary society, and obesity is a major health concern for youth. One out of five obese youth develops diabetes. Some researchers predict that today's children will be the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy will actually be shorter than that of their parents. The culprit, they say, is the health problems associated with obesity. The BSA is an organization that has always been concerned about the physical fitness and good health of Americans.

It takes a bit of work to ge through the 'paperwork' to receive the patches for this award.

One designated person in each unit should contact a local council executive to get a unit-specific ID number. This ID allows the unit to access the www.goodturnforamerica.org web site and enter project hours.

Once project data is entered, the unit designee prints a certificate from the web site.

The certificate is presented to the local Scout Shop to allow the unit to purchase appropriate patches and segments.

Tiffany - That is correct. At this moment, there are some Good Turn for America items available at ScoutStuff.org - a plaque and some stickers. That's all.

Oct 01, 2013 - Doug

Our Council, Trapper Trails is promoting "100 Good Turns" in conjunction with Utah's "2013--Centenial of Scouting."
The program uses the same website URL servicehours.scouting.org/UI/Security/Login.aspx Which appears to only be available through the Council Program Office webpage. The participation code and password were issued to each unit in conjunction with re-chartering packages. We have been told that the program and the ability to earn the associated patch will only be available during the month of October of 2013. The unit requirement is the documentation of 100 hours of collective unit service hours in the month of October 2013.

Nov 02, 2015 - Angela

My store currently has 6 of the patches available.

Mar 13, 2016 - Michele

My son has a project he is working: he's building a free little library for a local park...but I read this
is no longer a badge. Is that true?

Mar 14, 2016 - Scouter Paul

@Michele - It says right at the top of this page "This program was
implemented in 2004 and ended in 2010". The website at
www.goodturnformamerica.org is gone. The only Good Turn for
America items available at ScoutStuff.org are some stickers on mark-
down.So, Yes, it's true.